The document provides guidelines for working at Brown Television (BTV) in a professional manner. It lists the executive board members and emphasizes the need to adopt a professional attitude to secure funding and present BTV as a competent organization. Specific guidelines include communicating schedule changes, taking notes to pass on institutional knowledge, addressing concerns through proper channels, separating personal and work relationships, dressing professionally for meetings, and prioritizing work efficiency through respect and encouraging discussion. While the staff is young, they should not use age as an excuse and should exemplify professionalism from the start. Adopting this mindset will help BTV quickly achieve its goals.

1. BTV
2008-2009
THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
Station Manager Programming Director Executive Producer Technical Director
Jad Joseph, '10 Roman Gonzalez '11 David Notis '10 Joe Larios '10
Webmaster RISD Relations Chair Financial Chair
Daniela Postigo ’11 Miguel Llorente ’11 Carmen Valdvia ‘10
Guidelines For Working For BTV
Welcome, and we thank you for your enthusiasm for BTV; we assure you we share the same.
The E-board has come up with a list of guidelines to help you understand the kind of work environment
we want to create here. BTV is unlike any other organization you will work for on campus, and for one
big reason: we’re reviving a television station. If we want this to work, we have to be serious! It’s a
huge project, the perpetuation of which will outlive our careers here at Brown. It will only happen if we
adopt a certain attitude, a certain outlook to drive our interactions: namely, professionalism.
As we interact with the business world to fund our local endeavors, we must exude professionalism.
What does that even mean? This does not mean that we need to wear Rolex watches and take business
trips to Thailand. It does mean the following things though.
1. Communicate. This is a relationship: you have to communicate. In a business setting,
communication is absolutely essential. If you can't make a meeting, you call your director and
let them know beforehand. Emails won't do. It's your responsibility to constantly keep your
director updated on your project. It’s the director’s responsibility to check up on you. It’s a
mutual relationship, and if you respect it, you will be respected.
2. Record. Take notes throughout the year on how to do your job. Near the end of the year we're
going to want you to form a short but helpful tip sheet for everyone that's on staff after you.
3. Professional complaints. If you feel a member of BTV is not doing their job, consult your
director, who will then consult the E-board. The situation will be handled. If you feel your
director is not doing his/her job to the best of his/her ability or in a decent, effective manner,
consult another member of the E-board privately, and the E-board member will bring it up at the
proper time in an E-board meeting. Never address professional concerns you have towards
another member of the staff in front of other staff. Do not gossip about another staff member
behind their back. If you have a concern, address it through the above mentioned method.
4. Boredom. If you at any time find yourself unsatisfied with the amount of work you are being
given (if you feel idle) consult your director or another director for help.
5. Public and Private Life. Do not mix personal and professional realms. Rightly so, there are no
regulations on dating other staff members, but excessive public displays of affection are
considered inappropriate. You will have friends on staff. Separate your friend relationship from
your coworker relationship. Everybody on staff will be friends, but this guideline is primarily
asking you not to bring your personal troubles with another BTV staff member into the studio.
6. Dress. Look the part, work the part. Any time you publicly represent Brown Television (ie: in a
meeting with a member of the university, at a BTV sponsored event, giving a class

2. presentation), wear business formal attire. Men, this means slacks, dress shoes, a button up and,
crucially, a tie. A blazer is also a highly recommended item. For women, this means a number
of things, including slacks, long skirts, button ups, etc. At a staff meeting, only the E-board is
asked to dress business casual. At a staff workshop, no specific attire is requested. Any other
everyday work in the BTV studio does not require specific attire.
7. Obligatory Rule About No Sexual Harassment: You know you wanted it, anyway.
Why be professional?
There are a lot of reasons, but here’s a big one: we need money. We need this money to buy a higher
quality and quantity of production material. We need this money to keep up with the technology that
will allow us to program our material on air. We need this money to accrue more programming, to
expand our realm of influence, to advance the potential of our website. All of BTV’s money goes back
into serving the Brown Community. We will be interacting with individuals and organizations who we
will want to offer their monetary generosity. When they consider our request, they will not only be
lending their money to the vision, but to the people who say they will carry out that vision. We must
present ourselves as competent, serious, organized, and determined.
Ok, so that’s why we need to be seen as professional, and act professional with people with money.
Why do we need to be professional internally? Answer: work efficiency. BTV, and any organization for
that matter, is around because they want to get things done. So how do we get things done most
productively? By being respectful, by tolerating differences, by earning respect through our work ethic,
by offering to do more, by listening to your supervisor, by encouraging discussion of major decisions
with your supervisor and greater BTV, and so on.
This is a student group but it is a business setting, as we make money and want to be taken seriously as
a non-profit organization. BTV has a certain identity it wants to portray, and we're not going to be like
every other organization on Campus. We're more organized, we have more money, we get things done
better.
And here’s the truth: we know we’re young. We’re not 50 yet. We like to have fun, we like to laugh,
make inappropriate jokes, curse, and the like. But this does not serve as an excuse to be inefficient, less
ambitious, disrespectful, and lazy. Our age and context will not compromise our determination and
productivity. We’re pro-active, we push the envelope, we’re passionate, and we’ll work like we are.
These guidelines operate as just that—guidelines. But really professionalism is where we should be
starting. Once you exemplify professionalism, you have the liberty to tweak it, to bend the rules, to
redefine it. But first you must exemplify it. Lead by example.
If we can all adopt this professional mindset, we will very quickly reach our goals, and in such a way
that everyone’s needs are met, and that you have a pleasant staff experience.
The top ten soft skills are:
1. Strong Work Ethic 6. Acting as a Team Player
2. Positive Attitude 7. Self-confidence
3. Good Communication Skills 8. Ability to Accept and Learn from Criticism
4. Time Management Abilities 9. Flexibility/Adaptability
5. Problem-solving Skills 10. Working Well Under Pressure